Adverse pregnancy outcomes: prevalence in the North of Jordan

Objective: The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of the adverse pregnancy outcomes among Jordanian women

Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in five major hospitals in the north of Jordan. Women who gave birth in the five Hospitals during the period from April to June 2007 were included in the study. Data were collected within 24 hours of delivery; the mother answered a pilot tested structured questionnaire administered by trained personnel on the maternity ward through face to face interview, which lasted for 10 to 15 minutes

Result: This study included a total of 3,269 women. More than half of them [57%] were living in urban areas, and 41.3% had an education of higher than high school. Only 1% gave birth to a very low birth weight baby and 10.9% gave birth to a moderately low birth weight baby. The prevalence of low birth weight baby was the highest for women aged above 40 years. Only 1.4% gave stillbirth with the rate being the lowest for those aged between 20 and 34 years. Prevalence of giving birth with any congenital anomaly was more evident for the oldest age group where about 40% of cases occurred among women aged above 40 years

Conclusions: Adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm delivery, low birth weight delivery, congenital anomalies, and stillbirth are common among Jordanian women compared with those in developed countries. Older women [age > 40] are at high risk of such adverse pregnancy outcomes

Neural tube defects at prince Rashid Bin Al-Hassan Hospital

To determine the frequency of neural tube defects among patients who were delivered at Prince Rashid Bin Al-Hassan Military Hospital and to discuss possible ways to reduce them. This descriptive review study of 11,852 medical records was conducted over a period of two years between the 1[st] of August 2005 and end of July 2007 at Prince Rashid Bin-Al-Hassan Military Hospital in Irbid-Jordan. During the study period, there were 17 cases of neural tube defects [1.4/1000 births], of these there were five cases of spina bifida [0.42/1000 births], three cases of encephalocele [0.25/1000 births], and nine cases of anencephaly [0.76/1000 births]. The overall female to male ratio was 1: 0.89. The most common neural tube defect was anencephaly [52.9%], and the commonest site of spina bifida was the lumbosacral region in 2/5 [40%]. One case of encephalocele was associated with malformations while four cases [80%] of spina bifida were associated with other malformations. The frequency of neural tube defects is high and probably on the decreasing in Jordan. We may be able to reduce such defects by recommending women of childbearing age to take daily Folic acid [400mcg] for at least three months before they become pregnant and throughout the first trimester